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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 5/15/2013
SUBJECT: Press Conference and Child Seat Clinic
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen (218) 390-2232
NATURE OF INCIDENT: MEDIA ADVISORY
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE: 5/16/2013
INCIDENT TIME: 11:30 AM
INCIDENT LOCATION: West Duluth Fire Station, 5830 Grand Avenue
SUBJECT: Press Conference and Child Seat Clinic
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen (218) 390-2232
NATURE OF INCIDENT: MEDIA ADVISORY
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE: 5/16/2013
INCIDENT TIME: 11:30 AM
INCIDENT LOCATION: West Duluth Fire Station, 5830 Grand Avenue
MEDIA ADVISORY
PRESS CONFERENCE
Thursday May 16th, at 11:30 AM
West Duluth Fire Station
5830 Grand Avenue
[DULUTH] - On Thursday, May 16th, 2013 at 11:30 AM 12 participants in training to become certified as Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be conducting a Child Seat Clinic. It will be held in conjunction with the Duluth Fire Department’s monthly clinic which is held from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The clinic is free and open to the public, no appointment necessary.
More children die in motor vehicle crashes than from all childhood diseases combined. Each year, approximately 110 passengers under the age of 11 are killed or severely injured in motor vehicle crashes in Minnesota. Over 1,800 passengers under the age of 11 receive minor to moderate injuries. Seventy percent of fatalities and severe injuries could be prevented with the proper use of a child restraint, and fifty percent could be prevented with proper safety belt use.
In support of local law enforcement’s increased seat belt and child seat enforcement wave May 20 through June 2, 2013, Driving 4 Safe Communities reminds all vehicle occupants to buckle up. Every seat. Every time.
Common Child Passenger Safety Mistakes
- Turning a child from a rear-facing restraint to a forward-facing restraint too soon. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends keeping children rear-facing until 2 years old if possible.
- Restraint is not secured tight enough — it should not shift more than one inch side-to-side or out from the seat.
- Harness on the child is not tight enough — if you can pinch harness material, it’s too loose.
- Retainer clip is up too high or too low — should be at the child’s armpit level.
- The child is in the wrong restraint — don’t rush your child into a seat belt.
Driving 4 Safe Communities is a Lake Superior Regional Coalition of Education, Emergency Medicine, Engineering and Enforcement professionals. Our mission is to move Carlton and southern St. Louis counties Toward Zero Deaths on our roads. Member agencies participate in activities to improve traffic safety in our area, uniting our resources of time, experience, and expertise to tackle the top driver behavior issues of impairment, distracted driving, unbelted occupants, and speed. The Coalition began meeting in December 2008 and since that time has been working to create a recognizable presence in our communities and display a united effort toward saving lives and reducing serious injuries.
Driving 4 Safe Communities receives a grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety and is part of a group of coalitions statewide that assist local communities in carrying out the mission of the Minnesota TZD Initiative. The mission of Minnesota TZD is to create a culture for which traffic fatalities and serious injuries are no longer acceptable through the integrated application of education, engineering, enforcement, and emergency medical and trauma services.
